


Surface

by Toast_Senpai



Series: Within Water [1]
Category: Dive!! (Anime)
Genre: Feelings, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 15:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11900778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toast_Senpai/pseuds/Toast_Senpai
Summary: No, they definitely weren’t the same but maybe that could change with time.





	Surface

**Author's Note:**

> No Dive!! fics? Guess I'll be the first. Set at the end of episode 8, before Youichi and Tomoki leave Shibuki’s family home.

Youichi stepped barefoot through the dark hallway of Shibuki’s family home. He had just delivered coach Asaki’s envelope to Shibuki as promised. He didn’t know what was in it, but that wasn’t any of his business. As he reached his destination, the sliding door to the large shared room was opened. He looked down and Tomoki stared up at him.

“Where’d you go?” Tomoki asked through a yawn.

Youichi pushed open the door further and came inside. “So you’re awake now. I was talking to Shibuki.”

Tomoki grinned at him. “Were you trying to get girlfriend advice?”

Youichi couldn’t stop the blush that graced his cheeks. He walked over to his futon and sat down, but then changed his mind and stood again. Tomoki gave him a confused look.

“Come with me,” Youichi said.

“Where are we going?” Tomoki asked as he followed Youichi out of the room.

Youichi didn’t answer him. He led Tomoki to the entrance of the house where they slipped on their shoes before leaving. The moon was bright, and without a problem it showed them the path they had taken earlier that day to the hillside where they’d been with Shibuki and his girlfriend, where they’d jumped two hundred some meters into the sea from a rocky outreach. Youichi didn’t go for that cliff though. He stayed on the steep grassy hill, making his way to the very top where there was a flatter clearing surrounded by a semicircle of trees.

There he stopped and sat down. Tomoki took a seat next to him.

“I take it you’re not tired, then,” Tomoki said.

“Not really. I mean, I’m still a little sore from the Beijing training but that’s all.”

“Same here.”

The breeze rustled the long grass around them and Youichi stared out into the calm ocean. It was nice to get away from Tokyo, even if it was just for a couple nights. Plus, he got to spend time with Tomoki, someone who was recently entering his thoughts more and more. At first he had thought that it was because of Tomoki’s improved diving and diamond eyes, but then after he learned about the whole situation Tomoki went through with his now ex-girlfriend, there was another emotion there.

Clearly, it was jealously. Youichi pulled his knees up to his chest and sighed. Exactly who he was jealous of he didn’t know.

“The other night,” Tomoki said suddenly, “when you asked Shibuki about his girlfriend-”

“What about it?” Youichi cut in. He felt irritation settle in his chest. “Of… of course I would be interested in that…” It was a weak response.

Tomoki leaned forward to look at him. “Are you really that curious just because you’ve never had one before?”

Youichi refused to look directly at Tomoki. “It’s not all right, is it? For me to have never had one.”

“Well, I mean, I don’t have one either.”

“But you _did_.”

“It’s not like we did anything together…” Tomoki smiled softly. “So you and I are pretty much the same. Don’t feel bad about it.”

Youichi pulled at the grass between his fingers. How could they be the same? It almost pissed him off that a fourteen year old was able to get a girlfriend in the first place while he hadn’t dated anyone ever in his entire life.

“Besides,” Tomoki continued, “Shibuki’s sisters said you were cute, so there’s still hope. I’m sure lots of girls at school would go out with you if you were to ask them.”

Youichi said nothing. He knew that Tomoki was probably right, but like hell he was going to admit that. It was true that certain girls had approached him. However, he had turned them all away, not interested. Was he too picky? Or was he just obsessed with the _idea_ of a girlfriend but not the actual thing? Youichi ripped the grass out of the ground and tossed it to the side.

“Youichi-kun? Are you okay?”

No, he wasn’t okay. Youichi just wanted to focus on diving, on the Olympics. He had to keep training harder. There was no time for a girlfriend. He turned his head towards Tomoki. And yet, he had time for _this_. Time to spend running out to the countryside with Tomoki, a guy who had always looked up to him and was now his friend. Someone who’d he’d just done fireworks with a few hours earlier, someone who stared at him so openly and honestly that it made his heart ache with _something_.

“We’re not the same,” Youichi whispered.

“What?” Tomoki raised an eyebrow. “I don’t understand. Ah.” There was a buzzing sound. Tomoki reached into his pocket and took out his phone. “It’s a text from Shibuki.”

Youichi pushed Tomoki onto his back, held down a wrist in each hand. He covered the light of the waning moon as it fell around them. The bright blue screen of the phone in Tomoki’s hand illuminated half of his face, and Youichi took in his surprised look. He hovered over Tomoki, trying to calm himself.

“I said, we’re not the same.” Youichi tightened his grip. “Not with diving, and not with this-this whole girlfriend thing. Why would I waste my time on something as stupid as that?”

Tomoki frowned. “It’s not stupid.”

“Yes, it is. And don’t you regret all that time you lost sulking over a dumb girl you didn’t do anything with? Just because your brother ‘stole’ her from you?”

“Thanks for bringing it up. I’m still getting over it, okay? As if you would know how it feels.”

Youichi huffed a laugh. “You’re right. I don’t know how it feels. But…” He stopped himself and leaned forward, their noses brushing. “Maybe I’m fine with just you.”

“What do you-”

Tomoki was cut off as Youichi kissed him. He didn’t exactly know how it was supposed to go, but he’d seen people do it and thought that it couldn’t possibly be difficult to reenact. Tomoki went rigid underneath him, stock still, probably in shock.

The phone screen went dark and Youichi pulled back. He loosened his grip on Tomoki’s wrists.

“Do you understand now?” Youichi asked.

He was prepared for some form of rejection. Maybe he’d just ruined their friendship. He sat up and let Tomoki free, but Tomoki didn’t move.

“I don’t get it,” Tomoki said. “So you… like me?”

Youichi clicked his tongue and fell back onto the grass. He stared at the cloudless night sky, let his eyes connect the stars in made up constellations. What was he doing? It must be all this fresh air, putting crazy ideas into his head.

“I guess. Something like that. Sorry if it offends you.” He wasn’t really sorry though. Perhaps only a little angry at himself for having affection for a kid like Tomoki of all people.

But Tomoki wasn’t all that bad. He was passionate and a decent diver, and would get even better if he kept at it. Plus, Tomoki was pretty cute, with his big, girly blue eyes and slender frame. Youichi didn’t mind having some growing feelings for him.

“Oh,” was all Tomoki said.

“If you want to hit me or something, you can.”

Tomoki sat up. “I would never do that. I’m just confused, is all.”

Having this conversation wasn’t easy. Maybe he should have just written a stupid love letter instead. Imaging leaving that in Tomoki’s locker at MDC had Youichi cracking a smile. He folded his arms behind his head and met Tomoki’s eyes.

“Want to go out with me?”

Tomoki looked shocked again. “As in… a relationship?”

“Yeah,” Yuichi said. “Feel free to decline,” he added quickly.

Tomoki looked away, stared at the ocean. “Oh.”

Youichi felt impatient but knew he couldn’t rush this. “I guess you don’t need to give me an answer right now.” He sat up and brushed the grass from his shoulders. “Wait until we get back to Tokyo.”

“I guess I’ll do that. Thanks.”

Youichi changed the subject. “What did Shibuki want?”

“Hmm? Oh, he was wondering where we went.”

“We should probably get back then.”

Youichi stood and held out a hand for Tomoki. Tomoki looked at it for a moment before taking it and pulling himself up. Youichi relaxed his grip, but Tomoki didn’t let go.

That squeezing feeling was back in Youichi’s chest, and he didn’t know if he liked it or not.

“Is this okay?” Tomoki asked. “We’ve both never held anyone’s hand before, so…”

Youichi cleared his throat, face warm. “Yeah, it’s okay. Just give me your other hand instead so we can actually walk.”

Tomoki laughed. “Oh yeah, that might help.” He swapped hands and smiled up at Youichi.

“Let’s go.”

The path was narrow, but they made it work. Youichi let Tomoki lead the way this time.


End file.
